I am a failrly new Associate degree RN in Texas and am moving to Alberta in July where I am from originally (no medical eduction from Canada).
I have contacted the CARNA for registration. What a nightmare. I was sent the papers for my school, Board of Nurse Examiners for Texas and myself to fill out. I sent my $200+ for them to look over my references and was told by a couple of people there that I did not need the work reference YET since I had not completed my 225 hours of work as an RN required for my employer to fill out the reference. I was told not having this would NOT hold up my other papers from being evaluated. All of my other papers were sent by the appropriate parties.
I was then told (e-mail) by 2 other people at the CARNA that I WOULD have to have the work reference for them to even look at my references. I sent an e-mail to everyone who was telling me different things, and the registrar (one of the people I had been talking to) was a little preturbed and said that I was confused because they were trying to accomodate me and bend the rules. I told them in a nice way that if I had not received conflicting e-mails, I would not have been confused.
I then had my work reference sent because it was causing so many problems. I did not want ot do this yet as it would alert my employer as to my intentions before I was ready.
The registrar had also indicated that it was "quite possible" that I would have to do a "Substantively Equivalent Competence assessment".
What the hell is this now? QUITE possible??
By the sounds of it, I am thinking that pretty much EVERYONE that is internationally educated has to complete this Substantively Equivalent Competence assessment before they give you access to the CRNE...am I right?? This is terrible. I was planning on taking the CRNE in Aug, right after I move up there.
I am an RN here...I am practicing as such, but in a nursery- not an adult floor. I am a little worried about what this is and what it consists of and what the Alberta Dilploma'd nurses learn that I did not...
I guess I am jumping the gun here a bit, but I have a bad feeling that this is the norm going into Alberta, especially for a recent grad/RN educated internatioanlly.
Can anyone elaborate on this or have any experience going from the US to Alberta recently?
i have gone through SEC substantially equivalent competence assesment regarding my registration as RN in alberta , Now carna asked me to do one of these courses before appearing in CRNE
HLTH2310 professional Nursing in Canada
or NURS 321 orientation in CAnadian Health care system and RL role
can any one give some information about which of these courses is cheaper to complete and can be completed in shorter time scale
and one more thing CARANA said that after doing this course i can work as a graduate nurse , so can some one please advice what is the differnce between graduate nurse and LPN
I'm an RN in Manila and I'm presently processing my papers for Alberta. Part of my evaluation from CARNA would be the SEC assessment at Mount Royal College for 1-5 days.
May I hear from anyone who had undergone such assessment? I'm just a bit anxious about the process. Are there any review materials that I need to get hold of?
the substantially equivalent competence (sec) assessment is a full week of exams and assessments:
three three hour exams in peds, psych and maternity; each exam is 120 multiple choice questions and then 20 short answer written questions: you are allowed more than three hours and many need it. one three hour multiple choice exam in general and med surg, and one three hour short answer written question exam. five paper based exams.
the clinical judgement are a type of verbal exam: you can have the question read to you, read it yourself, or read along, then you have to respond: you do one of these in each of med surg, peds, psych and maternity: each exam takes about an hour to an hour and a half:
there are two triple jumps, and they take a couple of hours: another type of oral exam.
you also get three clinical scenarios with another instructor in the role of a patient: these take a good couple of hours to undertake, and each patient will have an emergency of some type during the assessment that you have to deal with. during this scenario you have to do sometime during one of the three take complete vs including temperature, give oral meds, start iv, start antibiotics iv, draw up meds including insulin, dress a wound, etc.
you have to be fluent in english: yes, fluent, both written and verbal. if not you won't get through the exams in any time frame, or get through the oral assessments. not an easy process.
it takes several months to set up your assessment week: and then after all this, you will wait for a couple of months to find out your results, then get told what more you have to do to register in alberta. perhaps better to look somewhere else.
the week is full most ams and pms, short break at lunch is best so you can get back to the afternoon exam or activity to finish by the end of a day. pack your lunch, easier and less time than trying to find lunch. library available to stay at end of day to prep for next day. first day is surprise, but get your schedule for the week so you know what to read up on for the next day. bring your own books if you are not form calgary.
calgary and edmonton actually are about the same relative population, but calgary is more star style and longer to get across town, and edmonton has the other cities on the outside.
getting hired as a na is ok, but the pay is low, and both calgary and edmonton are very expensive. wages for an rn look good, but it is a long time to get to register in alberta while they have you in the lower na job. work as a na while waiting for your landed status, scheduling the assessment and waiting to find out, then start working on your additional requirements, and once you get your landed, write the nclex. with that you can go to the us to work as an rn at higher wages, coming back and forth to canada as needed. canada is great to raise a family, but the us is easier to become an rn and work at higher wages.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
this just in!!
for immediate release
april 16, 2008
college facilitates licensure for international rn applicants
edmonton – the college and association of registered nurses of alberta (carna) is planning to introduce a new license which may make it easier for qualified international applicants to become registered nurses in alberta. carna’s provincial council has authorized development of a model for temporary limited licensure for internationally educated nurses which would increase the number of international applicants allowed to work while completing requirements for full licensure as a registered nurse in alberta.
“this new model of temporary licensure is in addition to the significant efforts we have been making to facilitate the licensure process for international applicants during this past year,” says
margaret hadley, carna president. “our mandate as a regulatory college is to ensure public safety and public safety is put at risk because of the acute shortage of registered nurses. as a regulatory college, we are committed to working collaboratively with government and employers to address the situation.”
active international recruitment efforts by the health authorities have created a three-fold increase in the number of applications carna has received from internationally educated nurses since august 2007. international applications received from oct. 1, 2006 to sept 30, 2007 increased by 230% over the previous year and the number received monthly has increased from about 50 per month to close to 200. in december 2007, alberta health and wellness provided $500,000 which allowed carna to hire additional staff to handle the significantly increased volume of applications.
“for the first time, between october 1, 2006 and september 30, 2007, carna issued more permits to international applicants than to nurses coming to alberta from other parts of canada,” says mary-anne robinson, carna executive director. “in the first six months of this year, we assessed 699 international applications and issued licenses to 273 of the applicants to work in alberta. this rate is more than double the rate of licenses issued to international applicants in any previous year. this highlights the important role international recruitment is playing, and will continue to play, as part of the strategy to address the nursing shortage along with increased nursing education seats and effective retention strategies.”
carna is the professional and regulatory body for alberta’s more than 30,000 rns, the largest health-care profession in the province. it sets nursing practice standards and ensures albertans receive safe, competent and ethical nursing practice.
it's good news all around that the process will be expedited. i think this is what people have been looking for... the opportunity to work as an rn while the assessment process is completed, with no relaxation of standards or haste.
Well I wish they'd hurry up & let me know if they're happy with my credentials!!! Still waiting - was expecting to hear 9th April but all I had was a request for my marriage certificate & my NM verification - AGAIN!
Sorted that straight away & hoped to hear pretty soon after but nothing!
NM verification? Anyway, they took 2 months to reply to me. so.... God bless... We all have to understand...
New Mexico license - long story, told on another thread so won't bore you!
I know they're in the last stages of processing my file & I do understand how important it is that they get it right but it's sooooooooooo hard to be patient when you have such a lot to organise like when to sell your house, kids schooling etc etc
ajitnagar
3 Posts
hello every one
i have gone through SEC substantially equivalent competence assesment regarding my registration as RN in alberta , Now carna asked me to do one of these courses before appearing in CRNE
HLTH2310 professional Nursing in Canada
or NURS 321 orientation in CAnadian Health care system and RL role
can any one give some information about which of these courses is cheaper to complete and can be completed in shorter time scale
and one more thing CARANA said that after doing this course i can work as a graduate nurse , so can some one please advice what is the differnce between graduate nurse and LPN
thanks